equilibrium, chemical

equilibrium, chemical
Condition in the course of a reversible chemical reaction in which no net change in the amounts of reactants and products occurs: Products are reverting to reactants at the same rate as reactants are forming products.

For practical purposes, the reaction under those conditions is completed. Expressed in terms of the law of mass action, the reaction rate to form products is equal to the reaction rate to re-form reactants. The ratio of the reaction rate constants (i.e., of the amounts of reactants and products, each raised to the proper power), defines the equilibrium constant. Changing the conditions of temperature or pressure changes the reaction's equilibrium; a high temperature or pressure may be used to "push" a reaction that at ordinary conditions makes little product. See also H.-L. Le Châtelier.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Chemical stability — when used in the technical sense in chemistry, means thermodynamic stability of a chemical system.[1] Thermodynamic stability occurs when a system is in its lowest energy state, or chemical equilibrium with its environment. This may be a dynamic… …   Wikipedia

  • Chemical equilibrium — In a chemical reaction, chemical equilibrium is the state in which the concentrations of the reactants and products have not yet changed with time. It occurs only in reversible reactions, and not in irreversible reactions. Usually, this state… …   Wikipedia

  • Chemical laser — A chemical laser is a laser that obtains its energy from a chemical reaction. Chemical lasers can achieve continuous wave output with power reaching to megawatt levels. They are used in industry for cutting and drilling. Common examples of… …   Wikipedia

  • chemical — chemically, adv. /kem i keuhl/, n. 1. a substance produced by or used in a chemical process. 2. chemicals, Slang. narcotic or mind altering drugs or substances. adj. 3. of, used in, produced by, or concerned with chemistry or chemicals: a… …   Universalium

  • Chemical thermodynamics — is the study of the interrelation of heat and work with chemical reactions or with physical changes of state within the confines of the laws of thermodynamics. Chemical thermodynamics involves not only laboratory measurements of various… …   Wikipedia

  • Chemical potential — Chemical potential, symbolized by μ, is a measure first described by the American engineer, chemist and mathematical physicist Josiah Willard Gibbs. It is the potential that a substance has to produce in order to alter a system.[1] In broadest… …   Wikipedia

  • Equilibrium — is the condition of a system in which competing influences are balanced and it may refer to:cienceBiology* Equilibrioception, the sense of balance present in humans and animals * Homeostasis, the ability of an open system, especially living… …   Wikipedia

  • Chemical WorkBench — is a simulation software tool aimed at the reactor scale kinetic modeling of homogeneous gas phase and heterogeneous processes and kinetic mechanism development. It can be effectively used for the modeling, optimization, and design of a wide… …   Wikipedia

  • Chemical law — Chemical laws are those laws of nature relevant to chemistry. The most fundamental concept in chemistry is the law of conservation of mass, which states that there is no detectable change in the quantity of matter during an ordinary chemical… …   Wikipedia

  • chemical association — ▪ chemical bonding       the aggregation of atoms (atom) or molecules (molecule) into larger units held together by forces weaker than chemical bonds that bind atoms in molecules. The term is usually restricted to the formation of aggregates of… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”